To use the analogy of *snake oil* when discussing the nature of teaching,
be it in person OR via multi-media resources, is inappropriate...

Very frankly part of my training as a teacher was learning to LISTEN
to my students to diagnose difficulties....Both to their PLAYING and to
their DESCRIPTIONS of their perceived difficulties....

Sometimes, those *perceived difficulties* are a matter of perception
alone, and a simple verbal redirection is sufficient to get the student
back on track(ie: someone who has a *GREAT day*, over-practices as a result,
injures their chops, and needs to take a bit of time off immediately, and
then establish a regular, daily warmup/practice regimen)....This is something
that is easily helped via email, phone calls, or even a FAQ page, and doesn't
need an *IN PERSON* lesson....

Sometimes the difficulties are greater than the student perceives and
the task becomes one of helping the student get to the point of experiencing
the feeling and physical activity that will correct the problem...

In either case, though in-person teaching is, granted, far EASIER than
*Web-teaching*, it is NOT the only option, and in some cases not an option
at ALL!

Frankly, my whole approach to teaching, and I honestly believe the most
ethical approach to ANY sort of teaching, once your student is beyond the
beginning phase, or particularly for CP's(comeback players), is that of
TEACHING THE STUDENT TO TEACH HIM/HERSELF...

Now, that might seem like an oxymoron to those who believe in the
*Listen and Play as I Do* approach to teaching(which, as *Pops* has stated,
only works with a small percentage of students, and those are an even smaller
percentage of ALL trumpet students, since those who are accepted into college
as music majors have already reached a certain level of ability---and will
most likely hit a brick wall plateau if their learning style doesn't jive
with the *L&PasID* approach), but think about it....

The most a trumpet teacher will see their individual students in a given
week is a couple of hours...And that is only if they have a lesson AND
a Master Class AND an ensemble together(many see their students only for
a 30-45 minute lesson once per week)....

The student must, if determined to succeed, spend a good 2-3 HOURS per
DAY in the practice room(ergo 14-21 hours per week spent alone with
the horn)....

Thus the student is, on average, spending about SEVEN TIMES as much
time(at least) alone with his/her instrument as they are spending in the
teacher's studio....

Sobering thought, isn't it? And humbling.

When I was <much> younger I used to think that what I said and did
in the studio made a major difference in my students' lives and trumpet-playing.....

Eventually I learned that the very best I could do was to teach a student
how to teach him/herself...Guide them in their approach to practice, assign
them literature and etudes, advise them on reading material, play for and
with them--of course! all of the above....

But what really began to make a difference(in my own approach to playing
as well as the lessons I was imparting to my students) was when I acknowledged
a few pertinent points, and tried to reinforce them on a regular basis:

First(and foremost):Musical talent is a gift from God, which requires of the recipient
that it be developed to the highest possible degree, and then shared for
the common good.

Second:Practicing without analysis is busywork, and leads to boredom, wasted
effort, and the development of severe bad habits, instead of optimal growth.

Third:The DAILY performance of a consistent warmup(repeated EVERY time the
horn is played in a given day, though it might be shortened as necessary)
is absolutely imperative to achieve consistency in playing response.

Fourth:As long as equipment is not impeding the performance of necessary skills,
it's ridiculous to go chasing after something new(it will waste time, money,
AND effort spent adjusting to the new equipment which ALL could be spent
better by making optimal use of what you already have!).

Fifth:It's as important to listen to good performances(of many different
types and instruments, not just by trumpeters) and experience the beauties
of nature and of ALL the arts as it is to spend time in the practice room
IF one aspires to becoming an artist in the truest sense of the word(that
is, *one who creates that which is beautiful*).

Sixth:Strive to play with the greatest possible ease and efficiency....Ride
your air column as if it were a wave(and experience the JOY of that feeling)....Keep
your jaw, throat, shoulders, upper back arms, hands, etc as relaxed as
possible....Keep your head aligned with your spinal column(investigate
the ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE and apply it to your playing posture)... Use your
tongue, lips, jaw, hands and air to afford yourself the greatest possible
number of variations in style, timbre, attack,
release---In other words: expand your musical palate so that you can
create the colours you want to express the music within you.

And finally(though there are, of course, many more pointers that
COULD be shared, in the interest of getting my work done today I must finish
and send this post):

Remember to LOVE what you are doing....If it stops being a labor of
love, take a break, go visit someone in the hospital or a nursing home,
feed some animals at a shelter(or better yet, adopt one!), help out at
a soup kitchen, etc.... In other words: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS---do so every
day, and offer up your efforts as a prayer---You'll be amazed at what a
difference it can make....

Big Hugs to you all(I'm off to finish coordinating 27 acts for a major
Cancer Walk this Sunday, so I'll be off-line til Monday sometime)....